Integrating GNH into school teachings

Jan 06: The Ministry of Education is making every effort to include happiness education in the schools curriculum as part of the government mission for practical implementation of the gross national happiness principles.

Shortly after concluding an international level workshop on GNH in Thimphu (December 7-12) in presence of the international personalities and government executives, the ministry has set another but similar workshop for this month for school principals.

The workshop is being scheduled for January 19-24 at Paro College of Education with the objective of bringing GHN values and principles fully into schools and into all elements of national education system.

“We have examined this issue very carefully in our own studies – most recently in works produced by the Royal Education Council, the Center for Bhutan Studies, the Ministry of Education and others. Now we want to build on our own work and study to date to move forward decisively in this vital area in a deeper, more comprehensive and systematic way than ever before,” a circular by the ministry said.

Stating that Bhutanese society is being bombarded by materialist and consumerist messages as never before and that there is need to educate the young generation on GNH to protest the country’s unique and balanced GNH development philosophy including the genuine care for nature, flourishing of ancient culture and elements of good citizenship and governance, the circular issued by Education Minister Thakur Singh Powdyal reads.

He expressed hope that the discussions will be very practical so as to know how to proceed, what would be the next step and what a realistic timeline, plan and structure will be.

Powdyal said he will attend the workshop along with education secretary. Powdyal claimed that the initiative would include all educational institutions in the country, the kind of initiative never done anywhere in world.